Into The Flames
by Snowflake-in-summer
Summary: There's a mysterious new arrival:a girl with a past,a terrifying future and an undeniable link to James. What difference can one girl make? Those that play with fire are going to get burned. And you won't find anyone more firey than her.SB/OC JP/LE RL/OC
1. Prolouge

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Into the Flames

"My whole life flashed before my eyes…

…it was really boring": Babs the chicken, Chicken Run

**A/N: The writing in Italics is a direct quote from JK's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Those words are all hers. the rest come from me, but sadly I don't own the characters or the Harry Potter world. If I did, Sirius wouldn't have fallen through the veil in the first place!**

PROLOUGE 

_The second jet of light hit him squarely in the chest._

_The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock. _

_Harry released Neville, although he was unaware of doing so. He was jumping down the steps again, pulling out his wand, as Dumbledore, too, turned towards the dais._

_It seemed to take an age for Sirius to fall: his body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backwards through the ragged veil hanging from the arch. Harry saw the look of mingled fear and surprise on his Godfather's wasted, once handsome face as he fell through the ancient doorway and disappeared behind the veil, which fluttered for a moment as if in high wind, then fell back into place._

Icy cold swept through his limbs as he fell through the barrier. He couldn't feel the pain Bellatrix's curse should have caused him. He couldn't take control of his body to jump back out from behind the veil. He just continued to fall.

"HARRY!" he yelled, "HARRY!"

Nobody answered him. And he knew at that point that nobody could hear him. There was nobody to help him now: Sirius was alone. And still falling helplessly into what appeared to be nothing. All that appeared before him, as the torn veil drew away from his vision, was darkness. There was nothing he could decipher but the impenetrable black before him. It bore down upon him without pity, without compassion.

He thought back to how he had gotten there; thought back throughout his life. His hatred of his family, His love of Hogwarts, his inseparable friends flashed through his mind. His mother's face floated in front of him, contorted with rage and disgust as he slammed the door of 12 Grimuald place for the last time. Her puce cheeks dissolved into the greying features of Remus Lupin, whose tired smile lit up his sallow face. Sirius regarded the four figures surrounding him; Harriet, Mary, Claire and Peter. Moony turned to the stout boy beside him, whose watery eyes crinkled in laughter as he looked at Sirius. Wormtail had been a traitor, but even in what Sirius assumed was death, he didn't hate him. No matter how much he wanted to. Regulus materialised. His features cold and distinguished yet vulnerable. His brother always was boy of contradictions, but Sirius had loved him.

Then came James, raven hair sticking up on end, hazel eyes twinkling behind his glasses. Lily stood beside him, Harry wrapped in her arms. The family, his family, grinned at him filling him with the love they had expressed do many times before. The Sirius became aware of a faint giggling; the chuckle of a wriggling infant with bright silvery eyes. He faintly remembered the child's tiny hands wrapping determinedly around his finger, the spur of joy as she gurgled her first words, her smell.

He drew his attention away from the baby, meeting a pair of familiar glowing eyes. They shone through the dark, their intense sapphire glare burning into his mind, into his heart, into his soul. They wretched at his memories, bringing back the pain he had buried, the emotions he had suppressed. He had let them down. Let them all down. He had killed them, abandoned them, and failed to protect them as he had promised. Harry. Brave, loving Harry was alone now. He had failed him, failed them all.

He closed his eyes tightly shut, desperately trying to block out the pain and guilt; trying to escape the eyes that he had missed for over a decade.

He free-falled downwards, faster and faster, surrounded by nothingness. And then THUMP. He hit a cold, stone floor with tremendous force. But he felt no more pain. His eyes remained shut determinedly. And he didn't open them again. He wouldn't for a long time. He just curled up, scrunching up his face, and waited: waited for his Hell to end.

* * *

Two blunt objects grabbed his shoulders, desperately gathering his robes. Sirius' eyes shot open immediately fear flashing across his face. He expected the darkness, the suffocating, intoxicating black that had suppressed him to come speeding back. But it didn't come. Light, the brightest, most radiant light illuminated everything. His surrounding's glowed, heat emitting from the blaze.

He squinted against the glare, desperate to see what had touched him. A robed figure stood behind him, their face shielded. Flashes of blue came into his vision, but disappeared as soon as they had appeared.

The hands on his shoulders, pale and small, dragged him along the rough ground. He didn't even try to struggle. He just closed his eyes, too tired, too grieved to bother worrying about his fate.

The figure strained to heave him up, pulling him out with them into the source of the light, out from under the ragged cloth that had held the infamous Black prisoner. The comforting warmth vanished as they staggered through the barrier, replaced by an intense chill that echoed through out the caverns of the department of mysteries.

The light was gone too. Cold, dark, dread was starting to creep up Sirius' legs, engulfing him in fear. He couldn't breath. His test was tight, too tight. He tried to gasp in air but his body refused to listen to his mind. Panic sped through him. He needed to breathe. He needed to survive. He needed to get to Harry.

Two lips pressed themselves against his; forcing air into his lungs; but Sirius didn't react. He just lay there, paralysed. He felt a hot tickling next to his ear and a voice pleading with him incoherently.

"Breath for me Padfoot" the voice urged, echoing through his memories. The face of its owner had haunted him for many years. He needed to see them. He needed to talk to them, to see if he had finally gone mad or if they were really alive. But he needed to breathe first. _Come on! _He ordered his body, _Just breath!_

He gasped, gulping in fresh clean oxygen greedily. Relief flooded through him: he was alive. But with the relief came agony. Pain stabbed his chest, shooting across his torso callously. He cringed, moaning in anguish. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, the torturous throbbing didn't subside.

It overcame him, making his head spin, his mind go fuzzy. He had to stay alive, he had to fight. He had to see her. But the darkness was creeping in, his breaths becoming ever more frantic. Fear gripped his soul as his chest ceased up in panic. He had no breath. No will power left. Just pain and loss. His frozen limbs lay contorted anguish. There was nothing he could do to hold on anymore. There was no way to keep going.

And then there was nothing.

**A/N: I won't ask for reviews... yet :P**

**Who's saving him? How can he come back to life? Wel that'sfor me to know and you to wonder. Or you could just read it... **


	2. Chapter 1

UNECPECTED APPEARANCES

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter :( I'm gutted.**

The tunnel entrance sealed with a satisfied _clunk_ as Sirius pulled the invisibility cloak back around his shoulders. The heavy bag weighed down against his side, the "borrowed" sweets and butterbeers it contained jangling merrily. Sirius chuckled to himself, _yet another year christened with a late night excursion_, he told himself.

The infamous Marauders, who usually celebrated their return to school with a night time excursion, had decided to break the habit of a lifetime and stay in. Or at least three of the marauders had decided this.

Itching for adventure and craving sugar (having eaten his supply of sweets on the train), Sirius had decided to sneak into Honeyduke's Sweet shop and stock up on the required confectionary: alone. James, who ordinarily would have accompanied him, was pouring over a piece of parchment, scribbling down notes and letters to his family. All of whom complained bitterly for his lack of communication during school time. Tedious as this seemed on the first night of term, he didn't dare risk the howler his great aunt would send him if he "forgot" about her.

Peter, who unlike James and Sirius was not a naturally talented wizard, was too busy trying to understand his charms textbook, from fourth year, to take part in such a risky mission. Remus was occupied attending yet another prefect meeting; "the goody-two-shoes" thought Sirius affectionately.

So Sirius had gone to Honeyduke's alone, following the tunnel concealed by the statue of the one-eyed witch on the first floor corridor. Nothing unusual had happened, until he climbed out of the witch's hump on the return Journey. He'd just closed the entrance to the tunnel when he heard voices drawing closer up the corridor.

Leaning against the wall so that whoever was walking up the corridor didn't bump into him, he looked from side to side trying to see who had nearly spotted him.

Professor McGonagall was walking down the corridor, accompanied by a girl of about Sirius' age. She wasn't wearing school robes but was levitating a large trunk in front of her. Instead of the usual uniform she wore a short grey school skirt and a satin blue short sleeved shirt that matched her eyes. A foreign emblem on a patch, a wand crossing a sword, was sewn to the breast of the cardigan she was pulling around her. Who was she?

Sirius frowned, curiosity etching across his face as the girl smiled politely at Professor McGonagall. "I suppose that's everything," said Professor in her usual brisk tone, "I'll arrange for one of the fifth year prefects to escort you up to the common room". And with this she turned on her heel and left leaving the girl looking puzzled, apparently unsure of what she was supposed to do now. She set the trunk down on the floor and glanced around the corridor as though searching for something that could reassure her. She caught a glimpse of Sirius's foot protruding from behind the one-eyed witch's statue. She grinned mischievously averting her gaze so that she was staring at the portrait of Borris the Brave holding a rather bedraggled kitten. "You know most people wear an invisibility cloak to be invisible" she said to nobody in particular. Pulling off the cloak Sirius looked at her indignantly and said playfully, "well sometimes that's easier said than done".

The girl span on her heel to face him, looking confused when she saw Sirius' face: she'd been expecting somebody else.

"I'm not as short as I used to be," Sirius continued not understanding why she suddenly looked taken aback by his appearance. He was, of course, used to girls fawning over him but he had never had that type of reaction before.

"I…" she stuttered; not sure whether or not to explain herself to somebody she didn't even know the name of. Regaining control of herself, her eyes surveyed Sirius' face, taking in his raven black hair; his chiselled features; his deep, grey eyes; moving down to his long slender torso and his strong lengthy legs, "I can see how that could be a problem," she said silkily. They smiled at each other for a moment, each as curious about the other. After a somewhat uncomfortable silence Sirius stepped forwards holding out a hand.

"I'm S…"

"Mr black what are you doing here?" Professor McGonagall had returned and was glaring sternly at Sirius.

"I was just heading up to the Muggle Studies room, Professor," said Sirius calmly, a look on his face that suggested butter couldn't melt in his mouth, "Professor Bulwick decided to give me detention early this year."

"Of course," muttered Professor McGonagall cynically, "as you well know Mr Black students are not allowed to roam the corridors at night, kindly make your way to his office and return to the common room immediately afterwards- I do not expect you to make any de-tours"

"Yes miss," he replied shortly, nodding at the girl who seemed to be half amused by his acting, half sympathetic; after all she wouldn't want to be found by professor McGonagall late at night. Grabbing his bag, concealing James' invisibility cloak as he did so, Sirius walked past the two women and did not look back. _That was close;_ he thought to himself; _James would have killed me if I'd got the cloak confiscated. _He paused at the end of the corridor, straining his ears to hear what was being said between the girl and his Head of House. He couldn't deny that the new girl intrigued him.

She was beautiful, her eyes twinkled mischievously behind the strands of hair that had escaped from her messy ponytail, her mouth formed a warm almost rebellious smile and yet she had this air of intelligence about her. Of all these features, something about her expressions, especially when he had been found by McGonagall, her mischievous grin, had seemed strangely familiar. But where from?

"All of the prefects appear to be in an extra meeting with Professor Dumbledore, so I'll have to escort you to Gryffindor tower. If you'll be so kind as to follow me," Professor McGonagall said curtly. The girl gave a small nod, still trying to take in as much of her surroundings as possible.

"I can't believe I'm finally here" she said softly, smiling to herself as she and the professor walked briskly through the corridors and up the moving stair cases until they reached the 7th floor entrance to Gryffindor tower.

From the moment the pair had started moving, Sirius' inquisitive nature had gotten the better of him. _What was the harm in following them?_ He asked himself _I was going in that direction eventually anyway._ Donning the invisibility cloak, making sure that all his limbs were concealed this time, he set of at a jog to catch up.

When Sirius finally arrived, the mysterious girl had reached the common room and was nodding as Professor McGonagall talked her through the portrait hole system.

"You understand?" asked McGonagall in a far more patient tone than usual.

"Yes thank you professor," the girl replied, "Dumbledore made sure I knew the password before I left his office"

"Well then, I'll leave you to meet your classmates," concluded McGonagall, "good luck Miss Potter."

Sirius dived behind a suit of armour as McGonagall whipped past him. _"Potter?" _Sirius muttered to himself,_ "maybe she's related to James?"_

The potter girl seemed to wait until Professor McGonagall was out of sight before allowing her true emotions to show. The fear that suddenly infected her eyes was pushed down by a sudden determination to succeed.

"Ok, I can do this", she whispered to herself turning towards the portrait of the Fat Lady. From his hiding place behind the statue he could see her fill her chest with air and open her mouth to speak "hip…"

"I'm sorry dear, _I didn't quite catch that"_ said the fat lady in a suspicious voice, "I _don't recognise you, _are you sure this is your common room?"

Colour rose in her cheeks as she embarrassedly swept a stray lock of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear. "Yes I'm sure," she muttered looking up into the fat lady's face, "I'm new that's all".

"New?" the fat lady's face

"Yes," she said, "my parents just transferred me from Beauxbatons, now can I go in please?"

"Password?" inquired the Fat lady, her usual haughty air replacing the snide curiosity.

"Hippogriff"

"Welcome to Gryffindor"

"Thanks" replied Potter uncertainly, her voice surprised by the welcome.

Sirius jumped out from behind the suit of armour, knocking the sword out of its hand as he dashed towards the portrait hole. He made it just in time.

Flying through the gap he fell straight into the girl he had followed. The both collapsed in a heap on the floor, the invisibility falling off Sirius' head and arms leaving him as a floating torso. They looked at each other, mutual surprise n each others faces and burst into laughter at each other's expressions.

"Now Padfoot you really should take more care" chanted Remus and James standing over the pair grinning.

"But where's the fun in that?" laughed Sirius slowly rising to his feet and pushing the invisibility cloak into James hand.

Then he leaned down to offer a hand to the girl he'd managed to knock over but she'd already stood herself up, and was looking pointedly at James, who returned her look with a flabbergasted expression.

"Hello James"

**A/N: So…. what do you think? Should I continue? **

**It'll get better I promise does her best brownie salute and smiles sweetly **

**Review if you have a comment. Anything you have to say is welcome!**


	3. Chapter 2

**"In life we all have an unspeakable secret, an irreversible regret, an unreachable dream and an unforgettable love."**

**Diego Marchi**

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**Goldfish Impressions**

_"Hello James"_

James' mouth dropped open, disbelief radiating from him

First impressions and goldfish boys

James' mouth dropped open, disbelief radiating from him. The entire common room went silent in concern: never in Hogwarts' history had James Potter actually been speechless.

After a few minutes later, when his silence was quite obviously not going to change the girl spoke with a mixture of concern and mock annoyance lacing her voice, "James breath, it helps with the whole staying alive thing".

James ignored her, continuing to gape like a goldfish. For a moment he seemed to recover himself, looking obviously uncomfortable,

"Wh-what are you doing here?"

He watched as the girl took her turn to look awkward,

"Well it's a long story," she stammered studying her shoes, "but for now let's just say that Aunt Margret has finally given up on me attending Beauxbatons"

"You only went back two days ago!"

"As I said; it's a long story. Best saved for when you're next in need entertainment" James raised his eyebrows a grin playing across his handsome face,

"Lucinda Amirah Charlotte Potter" he mocked in a falsely disapproving voice, "Have you been causing trouble again?"

"Me?" she exclaimed her hand flying to her chest in mock out-rage, "I am, and always have been, an utter angel James Potter". An identical smiled cracked over her face.

"Ahem" coughed Remus who was still standing, open mouthed, watching the siblings talk. Sirius and Peter, who had abandoned his homework to see what was going on, stood beside him wearing similar surprised faces.

"You going to introduce us then?" asked Sirius smiling briefly at Lucinda.

"Oh right yeah…" muttered James gesturing at his sister, "Guys this is Lucinda, my little sister"

"Lucy," she corrected, "I can't stand Lucinda. And I'm not so little now."

James looked down at her under raised eyebrows, she still only reached his nose.

"You're a year younger than me, and a midget- that makes you little!"

Lucy pouted at him whilst the three boys continued to gape.

"I didn't know you had a sister" stated Peter, matter of factly. James looked at his feet guiltily and Lucy smiled at Peter kindly. He was shorter than the rest, not much taller than her, with sandy blonde hair and dull blue eyes. His front teeth protruded slightly, causing him to look slightly rodent-like.

The pale boy standing next to him shook his head apologetically. "You'll have to excuse Peter, tact isn't his strong point," he said, "What he means to say is: nice to meet you"

Lucy continued to smile, "You must be Remus, right?" Remus nodded looking surprised, "From what James has said, you'd be the only one who'd apologise for anything without an obvious prompt"

Remus smiled as James felt blood rush to his face. He coughed waving a hand in Sirius' direction.

"Luc this is Sirius" Black made a low mock bow in the form of a greeting.

"Padfoot please", he said. Lucy giggled, curtseying in reply.

"We've met, briefly" she said, "before he knocked me to the floor"

Sirius grinned foolishly, "I am sorry about that, not how I usually go for girls- I promise"

"I can hardly hold it against you; I nearly got you detention" said Lucy biting her lip nervously.

"Nah, I reckon old Minnie has a soft spot for us Marauders" mused Sirius looking very proud of himself. Remus snorted uncharacteristically loudly, the others turning to him in surprise, "yeah she must love us to bits with all the detentions she's given us over the years!"

They all chuckled at the thought of McGonagall being attached to anybody, let alone a group of mischief makers as famous as the marauders.

The laughter eventually died leaving a slow silence. Lucy looked around the common room, suddenly nervous. "It's been nice to finally meet the famous marauders" she said sincerely looking at each of them in turn, "but I suppose I'd better get to bed"

The four boys nodded their agreement muttering how nice it was to meet her, wishing her pleasant dreams etc but none of them moved.

"I'm supposed to have been met by some girl called Evans; she's one of my room mates. D'you know her?"

The marauders exchanged knowing looks, finally resting their gazes on James, who fidgeted awkwardly again. It was a well known fact that he, the famous prankster, had fancied Lily Evans since their first day at Hogwarts. But, despite his enthusiastic attempts, she was still refusing to go out with him. This was one of the last things he wanted his sister to know about!

"Yeah we know her," said Peter, "She's alright: most of the time"

"One of the nicest people I know in fact" confirmed James.

"Complete goody-goody of course," added Sirius throwing an affectionate grin towards Remus, "but then again she is a prefect".

"That's not fair! Not all of us…" retorted Remus, failing to suppress a grin.

"Are you Potter?" came a voice from the foot of the dormitory stairs. There stood a tall, slim red head, her emerald eyes gleaming in the firelight. James turned his head, arrogance instantly rising up in his body, in an attempt to hide the fact that he was trembling slightly.

"Oh come on Evans," he said complacently, "after 5 years together I would have thought you'd remember my name…"

"Shut up Potter, you know I wasn't talking to you!"

Lucy raised her eyebrows, shocked at her brother's sudden change in personality. When did he become so cocky? Was he really trying _flirt_?! She had always known him to be confident, her brave big brother, but she'd never have called him arrogant before. But this is what she saw, or at least what he wanted her to see. Although she still couldn't help but notice that his hands were shaking, he was _scared?_

She turned away from the Marauders, feeling slightly angry that somebody could do this to him. He had always protected her from everything, she'd idolised him as a child, and she didn't like what this Evans girl had just turned him into.

"I'm Potter," she said. Her voice was clearer and more confident the usual, every letter pronounced more harshly than she had meant them to be. But the Evans girl didn't seem to have noticed.

"If you grab your things I'll show you to our room" she said plainly. Lucy turned back to the Marauders, smiling weakly, "Night then". They all gave her reassuring smiles; Evans was in prefect mode so she wasn't going to be particularly hospitable- especially to a Potter.

Lucy levitated her trunk again and turned to follow the red-head up the spiral stair case, squeezing James' shoulder as she walked past.

* * *

Lucy entered the dormitory amidst a number of curious, somewhat bleary-eyed, stares. Evans allocated her the spare bed, next to the arched window, and helped her shove her trunk underneath her bed. The sheer relief of being able to put down her heavy trunk and get changed relieved he anger.

"Thanks Evans" Lucy said gratefully as she sat on the edge of her bed, "Sorry about James earlier, I've never seen him act like that before"

Evans looked confused at an apology; she'd expected Lucy to be exactly like James: an arrogant trouble maker.

She certainly looked similar, they shared the same ears, the same almond shaped eyes, the same mischievous grin that she had give the Marauders before following her up the stairs. Although, she had to admit she was extremely pretty. Lily had always been renound as one of the year's natural beauties, her colouring matching her features perfectly, but now she could see she'd have competition. Potter's hair was a lighter shade than James', a deep chocolate brown rather than black, and her crystal blue eyes sparkled brightly, lighting up her pale, milky complexion.

Despite the similarities the Potters had they couldn't appear to be more different, so far Lucy had only been polite. A Potter had actually apologised to her!

"Lily" she said kindly.

"Sorry?" asked Lucy

"Call me Lily" she repeated, smiling nervously.

Lucy returned the smile, leaning over to Lily and shaking her hand briefly.

"A Pleasure to meet you Lily," she said, trying to suppress a giggle at the look on Lily's face, "I'm Lucy, not Lucinda. Not Potter either. Just Lucy"

The two girls began to talk casually, whilst Lucy unpacked; Lily curled up on her bed. By the time they had realised what time it was the two were good friends, as though they had known each other for years. Both held a lot of importance in their good grades, distaste for blood prejudices and a love for all the usual girlie things, shopping and chocolate being the priority.

Lily had pointed to the other girls they shared a dormitory with, three forth years and three fifth years. Mary (one of Lily's closer friends) and Cassandra were the only ones still awake. It had only taken a few minutes but Lucy knew that they were not going to get on. Cassandra seemed to be under the impression that she was better than the rest of the other girls; huffing and puffing about their noise, mess and generally barking out orders whenever she pleased.

She, Lily informed Lucy at a low whisper, was a gossip: the bitch of the year group. It was obvious, just by the way Lily spoke that she didn't like to bitch about others often. Well not her "friends" anyway. Lucy smiled as she was told this, glancing up at Cassandra who was lying across her bed, examining her peroxide blonde hair in a hand mirror and pouting at her reflection. She had known girls like this in Beauxbatons; she knew exactly how to handle them. She told Lily some of the methods that the French used to cure vanity, making her giggle uncontrollably. The rebellious concept of sabotaging Cassandra's life was undoubtedly amusing. Lily loved a well executed prank as much as anyone: contrary to the popular belief of the Marauders and the rest of the school.

Lucy grinned at Lily's excited expression; _this girl seems like fun _she mused. When she finally lay down in her own bed, Lucy went to sleep feeling far less anxious about her exchange to Hogwarts.

* * *

Lucy walked slowly up the spiral staircase, her trunk following her obediently at her ankles. The Marauders watched her go, unsure how to break the awkward silence that had settled amongst them.

"So…" ventured Sirius, he couldn't stand awkward silences and he could see James was suffering.

"You have a sister," offered Remus, picking up on Sirius' motives.

James nodded meekly, how could he explain why he couldn't tell them about her before? Should he tell them everything, or would that mean betraying his sister?

"Guys I'm sorry, I…" his voice trailed off, words caught on his tongue.

"We're not judging mate" reassured Remus, "We're just a little surprised you didn't mention her that's all; I mean a sibling is usually one of the first things that you talk about"

James smiled nervously, "She was…ages ago now, I wasn't…" he stuttered, than he sighed, "things were complicated in my family when we were younger, my great aunt made her go to Beauxbatons a year early and I went off to Hogwarts."

Sirius rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, "you don't need to explain Prongs" he said gently, "yet".

With a huge yawn from Peter, the quartet climbed the spiral staircase and went to bed.

**A/N: Well I hope you're enjoying this so far; I wrote he last three chapters a LONG time ago but my writing styles improved since then. Things will pick up some pace in a shortwhile, so hang about until then won't you? **

**Ooh, Lucy's middle names have quite a bit of impact on the rest of the story. Just something to bare in mind**

**Thanks to mystakenidentity and madeofawsomeness for your reviews! How about the rest of you join them? ;)**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, but I'm working on it...**


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